Augmentin is an oral antibacterial
combination consisting of the semisynthetic antibiotic amoxicillin
and the b-lactamase inhibitor, clavulanate
potassium (the potassium
salt of clavulanic acid). Amoxicillin
is an analog of ampicillin,
derived from the basic penicillin
nucleus, 6-aminopenicillanic acid. The amoxicillin
molecular formula is C16H19N3O5S·3H2O
and the molecular weight is
419.46. Chemically, amoxicillin
is (2S, 5R, 6R)-6-[(R)-(-)-2-Amino-2-(p-hydroxyphenyl)acetamido]-3,3-dimethyl-7-oxo-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-2-carboxylic
acid trihydrate.

Clavulanic acid is produced
by the fermentation of
Streptomyces clavuligerus. It is a b-lactam
structurally related to the penicillins and possesses the ability to inactivate
a wide variety of b-lactamases by blocking
the active sites of these enzymes. Clavulanic acid
is particularly active against the clinically important plasmid
mediated b-lactamases frequently responsible
for transferred drug resistance
to penicillins and cephalosporins. The clavulanate potassium
molecular formula is C8H8KNO5
and the molecular weight is
237.25. Chemically clavulanate potassium
is potassium (Z)-(2R,5R )-3-(2-hydroxyethylidene)-7-oxo-4-oxa-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]-heptane-2-carboxylate.